Testimonials
Jamila Michener, PhD
“Ripples of Hope offers incisive knowledge and perspective on health equity with an unparalleled combination of clarity, accessibility, expertise, and courage. This book is a remarkable gift with much to give everyone: scholars, journalists, policymakers, and ordinary people. By taking his readers deep into the Mississippi Delta, and connecting us with real people, places, and power dynamics, David Jones reveals the painful underbelly of racism in the United States while pointing us towards the transformative possibilities of a new health equity policy agenda.”
Jamila Michener. PhD in Political Science, Associate Professor of Government and Public Policy, Inaugural Director, Center for Racial Justice and Equitable Futures, Senior Associate Dean of Public Engagement, Brooks School of Public Policy, Cornell University, jm2362(at)cornell.edu, www.jamilamichener.com.
Sarah Gollust, PhD
“While practitioners and scholars of public health discuss health equity frequently, these conversations can often seem vague or abstract. In contrast, in Ripples of Hope, David Jones offers a deep, detailed, and people-centered explanation of the many systems and structures that combine to make unhealthy conditions for the people of the Mississippi Delta — the same systems and structures that unfairly advantage others. But rather than just discussing the problems, Jones illuminates the way forward with a health equity policy agenda, grounded in people and a sophisticated understanding of power dynamics at play, that would improve health in the Delta and well beyond. One critically important contribution of this book is its call to scholars in public health to advance our own understanding of power and politics in order to better advocate for this health equity vision; this is David’s legacy.”
Sarah Gollust, PhD, Associate Professor, Division of Health Policy and Management, University of Minnesota School of Public Health
David M. Greenberg
“With deep empathy, nuance, and specificity, Ripples of Hope depicts whole communities coming together to redress inequities in one of the country’s most distinctive regions. It’s a story profoundly rooted in one place, with the voices of local activists and providers shining through – this book brings the Delta to mind and depicts it with justice. But Jones’ gift and a legacy of this work is to show how a place-based approach to health equity can build on every community’s strengths, by addressing housing, jobs, food, and health care systems. It’s an approach that places around the country are adopting, and this book has powerful lessons for everyone interested in bringing about change in a way that is both comprehensive and locally grounded.”
David M. Greenberg, Vice President, Community Research and Impact, Local Initiatives Support Corporation
Scott L. Greer, PhD
This moving and analytically powerful book teaches us about darkness and light at the same time, making structural problems concrete and showing how people chip away at them. Set in the most southern place in America, it is really about all of America. Jones’ authorial voice comes through on every page, melding scholarly rigor with empathy and humanity. The book is detailed in the best way, showing the achievements, dedication, and problems of real people in their communities, while showing how they fit into broader patterns of power and politics.”
Scott L. Greer, PhD, Professor Health Management and Policy, Professor, Global Public Health, Professor (by courtesy), Political Science, University of Michigan, slgreer@umich.edu.
Philip Rocco, PhD
“David’s book is a work of art. His clear prose and strong analysis coupled with his optimism of will makes his book easy to read while losing none of the empirical nuance. David calls on political scientists and policy researchers to ask questions that really matter and to confront challenges that — if solved — can turn ripples of hope into something more like a tide. His book is a gift that will inspire generations of scholars, policymakers, activists, and anyone who believes that a better world is possible.”
Philip Rocco, PhD, Associate Professor of Political Science, Director of Undergraduate Studies, Co-Editor, Publius: The Journal of Federalism, Marquette University
Timothy Callaghan, PhD
A call for grounding implicit bias training in clinical and translational frameworks
“Using Robert F. Kennedy’s iconic trip to the Mississippi Delta in 1967 as a backdrop, Ripples of Hope provides a poignant look at how the social determinants of health intersect to shape the healthcare landscape in the Delta. Highlighting the roles of food, neighborhoods, jobs, education, and more, Jones’ book contextualizes the complex factors that impact health, offering opportunities for hope, optimism, and policy change along the way. Ripples of Hope is a remarkable book, an honor to David’s indelible legacy, and a must read for scholars, practitioners, and policymakers alike.”
Timothy Callaghan, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Health Law, Policy, and Management, Boston University, Boston, MA 02118, Ph: 617-358-2256 | timcal@bu.edu
Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH
“This book is both a lucid, engrossing, and illuminating analysis of how structural forces—from racism, to politics, to laws—shape health of residents of the Mississippi Delta, and part of the remarkable legacy of a scholar who died far too soon”.
Sandro Galea, MD, DrPH Dean, Robert A Knox Professor, School of Public Health, Boston University